Humidity Control in Warm Climates
During warmer weather, high humidity levels in homes can create uncomfortable conditions. In addition to causing skin irritations and making it difficult to breathe, these conditions can also encourage the growth of mould, mildew, dust mites and other allergens, which in turn can cause a wide variety of health problems.
High relative attic insulation can also prevent the body from cooling itself through evaporation of sweat, which is one of the main ways that humans cool themselves. This can lead to heat stress, a serious health concern that affects people who have poor access to cooling systems, including elderly individuals, infants and children, outdoor workers and those with chronic medical conditions.
The influence of humidity on thermal comfort is not often taken into account in indoor climate design. This paper discusses the importance of incorporating humidity into spatial and personalized thermal comfort assessments and models, as well as examining different indoor thermal comfort indices that include humidity.
Insulation Tips for Coastal Homes: Fighting Moisture and Salt Air
Achieving comfortable humidity levels can be a challenge for homeowners in warmer climates, especially when energy efficiency and green building practices are used to reduce sensible heating and cooling loads. The tighter insulation and windows in newer high performance homes tend to result in smaller sensible cooling loads, but these improvements do not generally address the moisture and humidity related load components that occur during occupancy. Installing weatherstripping and caulking around doors and windows is a good way to improve airtightness and support humidity control, but it may be worth considering a professional inspection to assess the effectiveness of attic insulation as well. This can be an inexpensive way to improve home comfort, health and durability.
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